Overview:
A information to NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s positions on immigration, housing, public security and why he’s earned help from the Haitian neighborhood.
As New York Metropolis heads towards a vital mayoral election, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani is rising as a severe contender, particularly amongst Haitian and Caribbean communities in Brooklyn. Born in Uganda and raised in New York for the reason that age of seven, Mamdani could be NYC’s first Muslim and first Indian American mayor. Listed here are seven issues Haitian voters ought to know earlier than hitting the polls.
1. He desires to freeze rents and fund childcare—not minimize corners
Mamdani has made affordability the cornerstone of his marketing campaign. He’s promised to freeze rents for over 2 million New Yorkers in rent-stabilized items and increase common childcare for kids underneath 5.
“This marketing campaign is constructed across the promise to make New York Metropolis extra inexpensive—particularly for the working class,” he advised The Haitian Instances.
2. He’s no stranger to Flatbush and Little Haiti
In contrast to candidates who parachute in for votes, Mamdani has constantly proven up in neighborhoods like Flatbush, Canarsie and East Flatbush. He’s campaigned alongside Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest and Councilmember Farah Louis and made Little Haiti a focus in each his platform and canvassing.
“I’ve seen firsthand how Little Haiti has been impacted by sluggish buses and underfunded childcare,” he advised The Haitian Instances.
3. He guarantees to defend immigrants—no exceptions
With ICE raids rising and TPS protections underneath menace, Mamdani has pledged to implement legal guidelines that deny ICE entry to metropolis property and not using a judicial warrant. He additionally plans to increase the Haitian Response Initiative inside the Mayor’s Workplace of Immigrant Affairs.
“Haitian New Yorkers deserve security, stability, and a metropolis that sees their humanity,” Mamdani stated.
4. He helps free public transit
As a former tenant organizer, Mamdani helped pilot a fare-free bus program that not solely improved mobility however minimize assaults on bus drivers by 39%. He says he’s dedicated to creating NYC’s slowest buses sooner and free for all.
“We heard considerations that free buses could be unsafe. However they weren’t true,” Mamdani stated, citing improved security in the course of the pilot program.
5. He has progressives behind him
Backed by progressive leaders like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mamdani has galvanized younger, working-class voters, together with amongst immigrant communities. His occasions repeatedly spotlight solidarity with Haitians and others affected by native and federal insurance policies. A late endorsement from Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries added mainstream Democratic weight to his marketing campaign, at the same time as Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer has but to weigh in.
6. Not everybody’s bought on Mamdani’s massive concepts
Mamdani’s affordability agenda has sturdy supporters, however some analysts and enterprise leaders warning that key proposals — like a citywide lease freeze and $30 minimal wage — face steep monetary and logistical hurdles. Some economists warn such measures may pressure metropolis funds already dealing with multibillion-dollar gaps, whereas small enterprise advocates say increased wage mandates may disproportionately have an effect on native storefronts nonetheless recovering from climate-related disruptions and rising business rents.
Mamdani argues that elevated taxes on the rich and companies may offset prices and says his plan contains help for small companies. However opponents say key particulars — together with timelines, enforcement, and transition plans — stay unclear. His fare-free bus proposal, which may price $630 million yearly in misplaced fares, has drawn comparable scrutiny, with critics questioning whether or not the town or state would foot the invoice.
7. Haitian leaders are backing him
In October, Haitian American elected officers and organizers launched “Haitians for Zohran,” a WhatsApp-based mobilization community. Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn and others switched their endorsement to Mamdani after the first, praising his grassroots focus and cultural fluency.
“He’s actually working exhausting to get the belief of all of us,” stated Hermelyn throughout a neighborhood Zoom name.